I’m making my annual switch to the roadside for the Manchester 100 this weekend. Anyone else joining the event and causing traffic havoc around the Cheshire lanes?

J

Me.

Training* was actually going quite well until the end of July when work got in the way, followed by holidays and a bout of manflu/black death all of which means the last 6 weeks has restricted me to two short rides. I was aiming for something under 6 hours but now I’ll just be happy to finish.

*wobbling about the back lanes of Cheshire on skinny wheels.

Yep i’m in – 7am start. Aiming to get at least 2 pints in during the lunch stop!

Wittonweavers, dazh and trolleywheels all from the MNPR lot are doing it too.

Edit: ^^ see

my transport to get me up to grizedale has fallen through.

I might have a cheeky tag along.

Go on then, how did everyone fare? I know wittonweavers rode the first 50 with a mate before hammering the second 50 and finished in a few minutes over 6 hrs. Same here. Had it not been for the heavy traffic coming back to Wythenshawe (probably caused by cars slowing down due to the large number of cyclists) I’m sure I’d have made out under the 6. 🙄

Dazh decided that 100 wasn’t enough and is currently doing hill reps above Tod, having ridden there and back.

Anyone else?

5 hours 20’ish. A mate and I made the decision to ride it yesterday morning. We’ve donated £50 to Christie’s and we didn’t make use of a feed station or anything so we we were unofficial. We stopped at a couple of shops for top ups of water as per normal for a century ride. We saw a few junctions where there weren’t any directions arrows or marshalls but it was early and we both know the area so it wasn’t an issue.

I reckon if i had ridden the first 50km at a decent tempo i would have been below 6. The group that i spent much of the ride with managed it in 5.52 (5.16 moving time).

Not sure that i would have kept it up for the full ride but i really enjoyed riding at full throttle for such long spells.

Have to say, that with the exception of the junction where the 100km and 100 miles routes split, the rest was very well signed and marshaled.

I did 5hrs 29mins which I’m pleased with. My “usually stronger than me riding buddy” started to struggle about half way so we slowed down a bit. He’s already said he’s going to put some training in for next year to see if we can beat 5hrs.

Perfect conditions for riding though.

I’d mentally prepared myself for the small hill on Styal Road after Wilmslow only to find they had cut it out. I think I was the only disappointed person though!

Saw loads of you out near Norley, Delamere, Kelsall, etc. nice morning for it

Rode it with a friend, 6h 15 riding 6h 40 total. Mostly self sufficient despite having paid entry, just wanted to keep moving.

Good event compared to reviews I’d read. Group we were with at one point took a wrong turn in Comberbatch (?) and kept following wrong arrows but luckily this joined proper route again we’d missed Northwich and the short route turn off but roughly same distance covered.

Go on then, how did everyone fare?

Dunno what my actual time was but I started at 8.20 and finished at 2.10. That included waiting around for 10 minutes with you lot for wittonweavers who rudely rode past without saying hello, and a couple of stops to get water. Also got held up for 5 minutes by a farmer moving his cattle. What I want to know is where all the groups were? Think I spent only about 10 minutes of it drafting people.

Not sure that i would have kept it up for the full ride but i really enjoyed riding at full throttle for such long spells.

STW midweek chain gang?

I spent a lot of time with a headwind this year rather than drafting. I thought it was just me.

Group we were with at one point took a wrong turn in Comberbatch (?) and kept following wrong arrows

I spotted that arrow too (had a kellogs “k” logo on the bottom). Saw a few people mistake it for the route and turn off course but we managed to shout them back.

It was quite a nice diversion, but lucky it brought us back to the ride else could’ve got interesting.

Anyone heard if the rider down near the tip/industrial estates on Longley Lane was ok? 2 ambulances and a full road closure/detour when we arrived. 🙁

He was sat on the verge when i went past. Had scars on his face but looked as if he was in quite a bit of discomfort. I guessed that he had probably clipped a wheel and come off. He had 3 mates (or at least people helping) so i didnt stop after enquiring if help was needed.

Not sure how he would have needed 2 ambulances though!